As Memorial Day weekend comes and goes, my mind goes to bounty of summer produce that will soon ripen. This year, I decided to grow a “pizza” garden filled with my favorite pizza toppings – plus a few experimental ingredients that I can’t wait to test. Every day, I watch my garden looking for signs that new varieties of pepper and tomato plants are blossoming, that the baby basil, sage, rosemary and oregano are expanding. Fruits such as mulberry, blackberry and Pink Lady apples (next year, I’ll have elderberry) are turning from flower to fruit. I’m excited to pair them with cheeses on delicate, Neapolitan style dough.

I’ve been browsing the farmer’s markets to peek at what’s starting to be harvested. I’m lucky to live in a city that has nearly 30 farmer’s markets spread throughout the metro area. Every week, I pick an item that I’ve never cooked with to see how I can make it shine.

My foraging friends will share their hiking finds, such as stinging nettles, garlic mustard and (my favorite) chicken of the woods and chanterelle mushrooms.

Finding Summer Pizza Inspiration

Summer produce can come from several sources. The more you know about what is available in your region, the more creative you can get with your summer seasonal pizza menu. I can share all the delectable offerings in my area of Louisville, Kentucky, but there are many amazing items found in every region of the country. For example, I’m jealous that Montanans get to snack on huckleberries. What unique finds grow in your area? Four ways to find summer pizza inspiration near you are:

• Check with your mainline food distributor to see what local products they have available to clients. They often work with local sources to supply produce.
• Go to your local farmer’s market and check for other markets in your region. You also can look for markets that operate on days other than Saturday to avoid crowds. Some farmers allow merchants to pre-order produce for pickup during market hours.
• Visit area farms and set up tours to learn when various produce peaks. Need help finding farmers? Contact your County Extension Office.
• Local food co-ops and groceries can be a great resource to find out what is grown locally.

What are the hot pizza toppings this summer?

Photo by: Tierney /adobestock.com

One of the biggest food trends in Pizza Today’s 2025 Pizza Industry Trends Report is Seasonal Ingredients and Specials. Adding seasonal produce, limited-time offerings and seasonal menus provides separation from competitors.

The pizzeria operators we surveyed shared ingredients they are looking to add to their menus or test in their pizzerias during the coming year. Many of those can have a fresh, seasonal approach. They include:

Microgreens

There is nothing like the look and pop of flavor with microgreens, from arugula and basil to beet, endive and Swiss chard. It’s important to note that these are used as finishing ingredients.

Berries

Don’t think just dessert pizzas here. Cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and other local berries are being paired with meats and creamy cheeses to create savory pies with a hint of sweet.

Green Chilies

These mild yet spicy peppers are spreading far beyond the Southwest. You’ll find chilies paired with pepperoni, chorizo, pulled pork, corn and creamy cheeses.

Lemon

This citrus fruit – either slices, wedges, juice or zest – has found its way onto pizza. It’s providing a beautiful contrast to pizza’s often savory and creamy flavors that adds that hit of acidity.

4 Incredible Summer Pizza Recipes from Chris Decker

Chris Decker is Founding Pizzaiolo & Partner at Truly Pizza, in Dana Point, California. He has become synonymous with breathtakingly beautiful pizza creations using balanced and unique ingredients. I wanted to share four of his summer pizza recipes that will inspire you to experiment with summer produce in your pizza kitchen to create a pizza that would make Chris Decker proud. In no particular order:

Summer’s Bounty Pizza

Edible flowers add a pop of color and pair with sweet squash, a creamy goat cheese ricotta mixture and a salty and herbaceous salsa verde. GO TO THE RECIPE.

Photo by Chris Decker

Peach and Burrata Grilled Pizza

Chris Decker says in-season peaches and a cool, creamy burrata are summertime favorites, and we agree. This one is paired with Serrano peppers, basil and balsamic. GO TO THE RECIPE.

Photo by Chris Decker

Berry Belly Pizza

Fresh, in-season berries are perfectly paired with creamy, whole-milk mozzarella, fatty delicious pork belly, scallions, habaneros and micro arugula. GO TO THE RECIPE.

Photo by Chris Decker

Summer Time Pizza

Chris Decker offers a “choose your own adventure” with this pizza. He suggested summer favorites. His pizza creation features zucchini and summer squash, spinach, goat cheese and finished of edible flowers and a little splash of white balsamic. GO TO THE RECIPE.

More Summer Pizza Ideas from Pizza Today

We love to provide inspiration for your next pizza special. And we have covered summertime … EXTENSIVELY. We invite you to enter the vault of summer pizza features. Binge reading is encouraged! Here goes …

Fresh salad toppings bring vibrance and bite to summer pizzas

Pizza and salad are one of those pairings that just make a lot of sense. The lightness of greens cutting through the greasy goodness of pizza creates a complete meal. So why not just make salad pizza? Done, right? I’m all in on this idea… — READ MORE —

8 Summer Pizza Toppings to Add to your Menu

Summer is the absolute best time to feature seasonal specials. With an abundance of summer fruits and vegetables, creativity in America’s pizza kitchens will be at an all-time high. We asked our Pizza Today social followers which summer produce they were most excited about… — READ MORE —

Photo by Josh Keown

Berries on Pizza: Taste of Summer

Summer means berry season. As a child, enjoying a strawberry shortcake was the ultimate way to end a backyard family barbecue. Blackberries, blueberries and raspberries aren’t just for smoothies, cobblers and pies, either… — READ MORE —

Spring into Summer Menu Ideas

Summer brings sun, fun and relaxation. It also harkens the advent of barbecuing, home cooking and my customers vacationing away from town. When I first opened, this meant fewer sales, less cash flow and less profitability … until I did something about it… — READ MORE —

Corn is the hit Pizza Topping of the Summer

It’s corn! A year after a kid went viral with his declaration of corn’s deliciousness, his words are top of mind as we see piles of corn on the cob at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. “It’s corn! A big lump with knobs. It has the juice (it has the juice). I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing. It’s corn”… — READ MORE —

Killer Summer Tomatoes – Varieties and Ways to Make Them

A Look at Summer Tomato Varieties, Prep and Recipes. Harvesting fruitful tomato rewards from a seedy past … — READ MORE —

Fresh Tomatoes – Selection, Preparation & Recipes

Tomato season is my favorite time of year, and I wait with baited breath for the best of the best. Consider: Hydration. All really great fresh tomatoes get soggy on a pie. You’ll have to either slice them thin … — READ MORE —

Think differently about how you use bell peppers on pizza

It’s time to ring the bell. Bell peppers, of course. Bell peppers ranked as the No. 8 most popular pizza topping in America, according to the pizzeria operator survey published in our 2025 Pizza Industry Trends Report. In some areas of the U.S., bell peppers break into the Top 5 Pizza Toppings… — READ MORE —

The post Summer Pizza: My Favorite Season for Toppings that Pizza Lovers will Crave appeared first on Pizza Today.

Summer Lovin’

Summer is the absolute best time to feature seasonal specials. With an abundance of summer harvest vegetables and fruits, creativity in America’s pizza kitchens will be at an all-time high.

We asked our Pizza Today social followers which summer harvest they were most excited about. We look at eight summer ingredients and summer pizza ideas to wow your customers with.

Highly Anticipated Summertime Tomatoes

Photo by Tony Gemignani

We can’t talk about summer pizza toppings without highlighting everyone’s favorite summer harvest, tomatoes.There is no better pizza to highlight summer tomatoes than a garden hearty pizza by Tony Gemignani.

Get the Summer Fresh Pizza recipe now.

Tomatillos

Try a unique tomato variety. The husked green tomatillos have a more acidic, tart flavor. Make a salsa verde for your Mexican pizza with tomatillo. Or go with something a little different. Slice tomatillos and spread on sheet. Sprinkle salt, pepper and Tajin seasoning and set aside to allow excess water to draw out. Infuse your olive oil with jalapeno and garlic to use as a base, then add a 60/40 blend of mozzarella and Manchego, pinch chorizo on top and spread tomatillos throughout pizza. Add grated Cotija cheese and bake. After baking, finish with cilantro and a sprinkle of Tajin and pepper.

Sweet Corn

Whether its Peaches and Cream, Jubilee or Silver Queen, sweet corn is a sought-after summer treat and found in abundance. Make a simple white pie featuring cherry tomatoes and sweet corn and finish with a whipped ricotta or goat cheese. If you want to add a protein, go with pancetta or bacon.

Zucchini

Zucchini is beautiful and flavorful on pizza. Start with an olive oil base and add fresh mozzarella. Slice zucchini ribbons and weave them throughout the pizza, add garlic slices and ricotta. Bake. Then finish with fresh basil, grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Basil

No summer is complete without fresh basil. The bounty will be plentiful. Find ways to highlight this popular herb. Almost every pizza can be enhanced with a finish of fresh basil. If you want to go basil crazy, use a pesto base and top with fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes and garlic and bake. Finish with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan.

Radishes

Radishes are a surprising hit on pizza. Shave them thin and add a crunch to your pizza. Or try a quick pickle with carrots. You can even add some heat with slices of your favorite hot pepper. Make a traditional white pie and finish with thin sliced prosciutto, arugula, pickled radishes, shaved Asiago and a squeeze of lemon.

Berries

An uncommon pizza topping, berries give pizza a wow factor that other summer produce can’t provide. Berries will be so hot this season that our Editor-In-Chief Jeremy White is dedicating an entire Kitchen feature to berries on pizza. Read his article.

Figs

Figs are a culinary delight on pizza. A few years ago, the creative pizza master John Gutekanst dove into the topic of figs on pizza. You should definitely check out that article “Gettin’ Figgy with It” in our Menu Development archives at pizzatoday.com. This is one of the delectable recipes John provided:

Get the Fig and Gorgonzola Pizza with Prosciutto di Parma recipe.

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post 8 Summer Pizza Toppings to Add to your Menu appeared first on Pizza Today.